Renault Pulse to take on small car market

Renault has unveiled a new small vehicle designed to help it tackle the likes of Maruti in India.

The Renault Pulse will hit the roads in January 2012 as the French brand's third model in its Indian line-up, targeting young urbanites who could be tempted by models such as the Maruti Swift, Ford Figo or VW Polo.

Although it is based on the same platform as the Nissan Micra, the vehicle was designed by Renault's Design Center in Mumbai, which opted to give it a sporty profile and several premium features such as push-button start and electronic folding mirrors.

The model will feature a 1.5-liter diesel engine that Renault claims is best-in-class when it comes to fuel consumption, offering a fuel economy expected to be around 4.3 l/100km.

With small cars accounting for the majority of all vehicle purchases in India, it is thought that the Pulse -- Renault's first entry into the segment -- could be followed by another similar vehicle next year, along with a larger people carrier which will take the brand's total number of Indian vehicles to five.

The Pulse is set to be officially launched at the New Delhi Auto Expo, which runs January 7-11, 2012.